How to Buy a Flash Drive

Flash drives are common external storage devices. They are portable and simply need to be plugged into the USB port of a computer to access files and folders. A flash drive is also known as a pen drive, ThumbDrive, USB drive and jump drive, depending on its size and make. Different types and sizes of flash drives are available in the market today. Know your options before buying.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Assess your data storage needs. Consider how much data you will need to store in the future.
2. Note that flash drives offer 32 MB to 2 GB of storage space. The most commonly used flash drives are 512 MB, 1 GB and 2 GB. A 2 GB drive can store up to 9 hours of music or 3 hours of video/DVD content.
3. Get the USB 2.0 drive, as it fits into most computers. Make sure that it is backward compatible.
4. Look for security options and features available on various brands. Many manufacturers provide password protection in flash drives. Some drives also have built-in MP3 players.
5. Choose the flash drive of a trusted brand, such as Kingston, Transcend, Memorex, Verbatim, LG, Scandisk Cruzer, Sony and Lexar.
6. Plan your budget for purchasing a flash drive.
7. Visit online stores, such as Yahoo! Shopping and eBay to learn more about products and brands offering of flash drives.
8. Learn more about the features and prices of various flash drives by referring to online buyers’ guides. Browse through reviews and compare pricing. Some popular buyers’ guides are NexTag, Windows Marketplace, MySimon, Bizrate and Epinions (see links below).
9. Browse through blogs and tech discussion forums. These are good avenues for gathering more information on features, trends and other insights on flash drives.
10. Buy a flash drive after comparing prices. Search for online vendors using search engines like Yahoo! or Google. Browse through popular online stores, such as CompUSA, Best Buy and Circuit City (see links below).

Tips & Warnings

• Check the warranty period before buying. Some flash drives have a warranty of up to 5 years. The best brands mostly offer a lifetime warranty.
• Some manufacturers often change the design and shape of their product to make it more appealing. Verify if such drives are suitable for your machine.

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